To apparently counter the protest by BJP MlAs in Dehradun on Monday, the Congress Seva Dal, Mahila Congress and Dehradun Mahanagar Congress workers staged a protest at Gandhi Park against alleged Central apathy towards Uttarakhand, price rise and other issues related to the Central Government.
Congress Seva Dal state head Ramvilas Rawat, Mahanagar working president Prithviraj Chauhan and Mahanagar Mahila Congress head Kamlesh Ramanled party members who converged at Gandhi Park. Addressing the party cadre, PCC chief Kishore Upadhyay accused the Centre of neglecting Uttarakhand’s interests.
The Centre has consistently made cuts in budgetary allocations to Uttarakhand creating a fiscal quandary for the State. Upadhyay said, “During the last lok Sabha elections, the prime minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders had made various promises to the people of Uttarakhand and trusting them the people had elected BJP candidates from all the five lok Sabha seats in the State. However, the disappointed people of Uttarakhand now feel cheated as the BJP has not fulfilled its promises. Addressing campaign rallies in Uttarakhand, the BJP leaders had then said that prices will be controlled within 100 days of BJP coming to power at the Centre but presently the prices of essential commodities are quite high. In Uttarakhand, the BJP leaders are openly spreading anarchy.
The BJP expects that nothing be done to stop its MlAs from blatantly violating the law and spreading anarchy. At a time when the State Government is attempting to create a peaceful atmosphere, the BJP leaders are rallying to the CM’s residence alleging harassment of its MlAs.”
The PCC chief also accused BJP leaders in Uttarakhand of making baseless statements that were denting the State’s image across the country and abroad. Upadhyay recalled that the PCC had staged demonstrations in Delhi, written to the prime minister and BJP MPs from Uttarakhand raising several issues of State interests but the Centre had remained apathetic to these issues.